Circuit breaker



March 23 1926. 1,578,192

J. F. DODGE CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 21, 1921 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

TES

PATENT orrica.

JCSEPE I. DODGE, OF CHAMBERLAIN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Application filed July 21, 1921. Serial Zia. 486,852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. Down, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chamberlain and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Circuit Breakers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an automatic circuit breaker'for electrical circuits; and the object is to provide a simple and efiicient device of this kind, primarily designed for installation on automobiles and motor tractors, although it is likely the device may be adapted for other locations. In use upon an automobile it would automatically break the ignition circuit of the engine, should the car overturn in a ditch, thereby preventing fire; and upon a tractor it would prevent the tractor overturning backwards, as sometimes happens in ascending steep grades.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the degiize as attached to the dash of an automo- Figure 2 is a similar view of the device as attached to the engine of a tractor.

Fi ure '3 is a vertical, longitudinal sec.- tiona view through the case and the inclosed elements.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the gravity contact element-:-

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the case, the cover removed, to show the electrodes of the ignition circuit within.

The invention consists in providing a suitable case 1 made of any non-conducting material, and formed with an interior, narrow, rectangular chamber 2, with a removable cover 3; mounting the case in the motor car 10, and extending the two electrodes 4 of the ignition circuit into this case, one electrode being disposed at either end of the bottom of the chamber 2. The wires 5 of the circuit ma be releasably connected to these electrodes threading the exterior ends of the electrodes 4 and equipping same with nutsil. Within the chamber 2 is rockingly placed a gravitycontact element 7 of copper or other conducting material. This elea ment embodies a central weight 8 and two attached divergent feet 9, the latter resting one on each of the electrodes 4:within the chamber 2 and so normally closing the ignition circuit. However, the chamber 2 is long enough to leave space at either side of the weight 8, so that should the car on which the device is mounted turn over sidewise, or the tractor attempt to climb a grade greater than the instrument is constructed to allow for, then the weight 8 will rock to one side. thereby raising one of the feet 9 and so breaking the circuit and stopping the engine. The case 1, therefore, would be mounted on the dash of a passenger car with the chamber 2 standing transversely to the axis of the car; but would be mounted on the tractor engine with this chamber standing parallel to the axis of the tractor:

While I have herein described a certain specific method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it is understood same may be varied in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a device of the kind described, a dielectric case having a narrow, rectangular interior chamber; two electrodes mounted one at either end of the bottom of the chamber; and a rocking contact element mounted within the chamber, the said contact element including a central weight having two feet diverging therefrom and resting one on each of the said electrodes and so normally connecting the same, the said interior chamber being of a size and shape to freely receive the said gravity contact element and maintain it in a normal upright position with the feet thereof in contact with the said electrodes, but allowing room for the central weight of the contact element to rock toward either end of the chamber and so disconnect the said electrodes.

JOSEPH F. DODGE. 

